Hat-frame-forming device.



No..787,04f2. PATENTED'APR. 11, 1905."

B. A. HOWE.

I HAT FRAMEPORMING DEVICE.

Arrmoumn FILED 001224, 1904.

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No. 787,042.- PATENTED A'PR.11,1905.

' E. A. HOWE.

H'AT FRAME FORMING DEVICE. APPLICATION 12mm 00124, my

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Patented April 11, 1905.

I PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD A. HOWE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

HAT-FRAME-FORMING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Fatent No. 787,052, dated April11, 1905. Application filed October 24, 1904. Serial No. 229,822.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWARD A. Hown, acitizen of the United States,residing in the borough of Manhattan. city, county, and State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inHat-Franie-Forming Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in a.deviceor former for use in the making of wire hat-frames.

The present invention offers certain improvements to the structureshown, described, and claimed in my former patent, N 0. 759,996, hearingdate of May 17, 1904, to which the present improvements are particularlyrelated.

My present invention consists of the parts and the construction andcombination of parts, which I will hereinafter describe and claim.

Referring to the accompanying drawings for a more complete explanationof my invention, and in which similar characters of reference indicatelike parts throughout the several views, Figure l is a sectional sideview of my improved wire-hat-frame-forming device; Fig. 2, a plan viewthereof; Fig. 3, a front view of arm 5 with its connecting parts. Figs.land 5 are views of crown-block. Figs. 6 and 7 are views of differentdetails of the construction which I employ.

1n carrying out my present invention I prefer to use the general formand construction of the salient features of my aforesaid priorinvention, wherein I provide a base A, suitably fastened to base-block Awhich may be fastened to table-top or bench A by hingeplates A Thebase-block A is provided on the hinge end with a suitable stop whichwill allow the center of gravity of the machine to fall outside of thebase, thereby holding former in tilted position. An upright member-ct isadapted to engage base A and may be secured in position by set-screw A.Near the top ofthis upright member is secured a circular plate a andmounted on and vertically movable on the upright member a is asupplemental plate or shifting board a provided at its perimeter withradially-arranged recesses a, and below the supplemental plate l Theplate a is provided at its perimeter with radially-arranged hinge-arms aon each of which is pivoted, on a pin it, a vert1callyarranged arm 6,(eight more or less) of which are employed in the construction shown.The outer side of the upper end portions of said arms are provided withnotches or recesses 12 in the form ofconstruction shown. The upper endportions 5 of the arms hare straight, or comparatively so; but the lowerportions thereof are curved outwardly to form finger portions a, whichpass through the recesses a in the plate a andare held therein in theform of construction shown by their outer walls I2 and said fingerportions are free to slide through therec esses' a, and by moving theplate a vertically the upper end portions of the arms 6 may be adjustedradially, as will be readily understood, the downward movement of theplate a serving to throw the upper end portions 6 outwardly and theupward movement 'of said plate to draw said end portions inwardly. Theinnersides of the fingers b" bear against spring-pressed blocks acarried in sockets a in the plate a which forces the finger portionsoutward and obviates any binding action on same when plate is adjusted.

Each of the arms I) carry substantially horizontal arms 6, which areadapted to be adjusted on the pivot O and locked at the desired angle bythe screw (1, which passes through the slot 6 in the arm 6. The arm-bhas a longitudinal slotf, through which passes screw 9, and the latteralso passes through the slot it of the wire-holders z'. The wireholderst'may be of various lengths and are adapted to carry the wire composingthe brim of the hat-frame.

The arm 6 has on its outer face the notches or recesses b to carry thewire of the side of the hat-frame in case the frame is circular inshape; but when the same is oval or any irregular shape holders such asis and Z may be used and adjusted to any desired position and clampedthereat to the vertical arm 7) by the screws m, which pass through theslot a. The holders k and Z have notches at their outer ends to carrythe wires.

In the construction shown the arms 6 are fastened to the block a by theouter portion of the radially-arranged hinge-arms (0 passing into a slotmade to receive them in arms 6 and fastened on with a rivet or screw it,so applied that the arms 6 can swing inwardly or outwardly.

The modes opewmdc' is as follows: In setting up the former in anydesired shape place a pattern hat-frame in position on the former, thenpress down the shifting board (6 until the arms I) spread to the size ofthe circular crown-wire of the pattern hat-frame and hold it firmly inthe notches or recesses b on the arm 5 at the desired height. By meansof the set-screw a secure the collar 00" below and against the shiftingboard a Adjust the wireholders Z along the slot n by means of screw mfor the right head size. This completes the form for crown of hat. Informing the brim place the horizontal arms I) in position correspondingwith the wires in the pattern hatframe, tighten the screw (i, which willsecure said arm in position, then place the upright slides h inposition, so that the recesses at their upper ends pass around and holdthe circular wires of the pattern hat-frame. This completes the brimformation. Now press upward on the shifting board and the former willcollapse and set the pattern hat-frame entirely free. This is a greatimprovement over my former patent above cited. Although that devicecollapsed. in substantially the same way, the wire hat-frame was notleft entirely free. In the construction of a hat-frame place thecircular crown-wires in position in the notches b in the arms I) at thedesired height and which are held in position by a small pinching-springmade for the purpose. Cross-wires are then placed transversely acrossthe ring or band formed by the circular crown-wires and are wound aroundor tied to said hand, then bent downward toward the head-size wire.After placing the head-size wire in position around the notches in theend of wire-holderl wind the cross-wires around or tie same to the saidheadsize wire and bend the ends of the cross-wires in the direction thebrim requires. Now place the circular brim-wires in position and connectthem with the cross-wires by twisting together or tying. This completesthe construction of the hat-shape. Push up the shifting board a and theformer will collapse and absolutely free the hat-frame. The former maybe then reset ready for the second hat by pushing the shifting board (L3down until it rests on collar a and commence as before. To form an ovalcrown, press down the shifting board (i until the arms spread to thedesired width of crown. Secure the shifting under and against theshifting board a.

board a in position by adjusting the collar a Adjust the slottedwire-holders Z: and l on the main arms 6 in the proper position and atwhatever angle is required. All but two of the levers are used informing an oval crown. On the two side main arms 7) the notches If intheir upper ends are used to hold the oval crown-wire, this being thenarrowest part of the crown formation. In making a roundcrown hat-framean adjustable top piece or crown-block a; is used, which can be adjustedat any desired height by the set-screw :0 securing same to the uprightmember a, which extends'above the circular plate (17'. The top of thecrown-block a: is fluted to hold in position the cross-wires. Inpractice the crosswires are placed in these grooves, then drawn downwardand outward to the head-band, to which they aretied or otherwisefastened. The ends of said wires are then bent outward to form the rim,as shown in Fig. l.

The improved features of this device are the rigid arms Z), providedwith adjustable wire-holders which may be set at any desired point tohold a wire and securely locked or fastened in that position. After theformer has been set up in any particular shape the main arms 6, with alltheir connecting parts in position, can be removed from the circularplate a by removing the fulcrum h, numbered, and set aside for futureuse in filling duplicate orders. The main arms I) being interchangeable,another set of arms can be set into the former and used on any shape.

In making a hat it is necessary to tilt the former for convenience, andprovision has been made by having the base-block A hinged to table-top.

When a shape such as a turban is desired, in which the brim constructionrequires several circular wires at its perimeter, I employ a wire-holder(Shown in Figs. 6 and 7.)

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. A hat-frame-forming device comprising a suitable support, verticalarms centrally pivoted to the same about a common center, adjustablemeans carried by the arms for increasing the distance of the outer faceof said arms from the center of the device, substantially horizontalarms pivoted to the vertical arms near their pivotal points andactuating means whereby the collapsing of the device entirely frees thefinished hat-frame.

2. A hat-frame-forming device comprising a suitable support, verticalarms centrally pivoted to the same about a common center, adjustablemeans carried by the arms for increasing the distance of the outer faceof said arms from the center of the device, substantially horizontalarms pivoted to the vertical arms near their pivotal points and meansfor moving the vertical arms inward and outward.

8. A hat-frame-forming device comprising a suitable support, verticalarms centrally pivoted to the same, adjustable wirerholders carried bythe arms, and substantially horizontal arms pivoted to the vertical armsnear their pivotal points the said horizontal arms carrying adjustableWire-holders.

4:. A hat-frame-forming device comprising a suitable upright support acollar screwed thereto, vertical arms centrally pivoted to the collarand adapted to oscillate to and from the support, a sliding collar onthe support adapted to oscillate the vertical arms, adjustable rigidwire-holders carried by the levers, substantially horizontal rigidadjustable arms pivoted to the vertical arms, and wire-holders carriedon the horizontal arms.

5. A hat-frame-forming device comprising a suitable support, a collarsecured thereon, upright notched vertical arms having curved lower'ends,centrally pivoted to thecollar and adapted to oscillate radially, amovable collar on the support and having recesses to receive the lowerends of the vertical arms, adjustable rigid wire-holders for the upperends of the vertical arms, substantially horizontal rigid arms,adjustable to the vertical arms near their pivotal points, adjustableWire-holders carried by the horizontal arms.

6. A hat-frame-forming device comprising a suitable upright support, acrown-blockadjustable in said support, pivoted oscillating leversconnected with the support and substantially horizontal arms, carryingadjustable wire-holders, and carried by the levers.

7. A hat-frame-forming device comprising a suitable upright support,pivoted oscillating levers connected with the support and substantiallyhorizontal arms, carrying adjustable wire-holders and carried by thelevers; the upright support adapted to turn in a base, the base hingedand a stop for holding the former in a tilted'or upright position.

This specification signed and witnessed this 17th day of October, A. D.190 i.

vEDWARD A. HOWE.

In presence of EDWARD VAN WINKLE, W. N. RICHARDSON.

